1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a downhole tool for isolating zones in a wellbore. More particularly, the present invention relates to a millable bridge plug system.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98
A bridge plug is a downhole tool that is lowered into a wellbore. At a particular distance through the wellbore, the bridge plug is activated. The bridge plug opens and locks to seal the bridge plug to the walls of the wellbore. The bridge plug separates the wellbore into two sides. The upper portion can be cemented and tested, separate from the sealed lower portion of the wellbore. Sometimes the bridge plugs are permanent, and they seal an entire portion of the wellbore. Other times, the bridge plugs must be removed, and still other times, the bridge plugs must be removed and retrieved. These removable bridge plugs are millable or drillable, so that a drill string can grind through the bridge plug, making remnants of the destroyed bridge plug to remain at the bottom of a wellbore or to be retrieved to the surface by drilling mud flow.
Bridge plugs generally include a mandrel, a sealing member placed around the mandrel, ring members adjacent the end of the sealing member and around the mandrel, upper and lower slip devices at opposite ends of the mandrel, and respective upper and lower cone assemblies engaged to the upper and lower slip devices. FIG. 1A shows the prior art bridge plug system 10 with a mandrel 12, sealing member 14, and upper and lower slip devices 16 and 18 shown. The bridge plug is placed in the wellbore by a setting tool on a positioning assembly, such as wireline, coiled tubing or even the drill string itself. Once in position at the correct depth and orientation, the bridge plug is activated. The setting tool holds the mandrel 12 in place, while a ramming portion of the setting tool exerts pressure on the stack, which includes the sealing member 14 and the slip devices 16 and 18. The end 22 has a cap which prevents the stack from sliding off the mandrel 12, when the ramming portion of the setting tool hits the stack. Instead, the pressure of the ramming portion compresses the stack, forcing the sealing member 14 to radially extend outward to seal against the wellbore or case and to flatten to a smaller height along the mandrel. The slip devices 16 are toothed and are distended radially outward by the stack to dig into the wellbore walls, locking the sealed configuration of the stack. The lower slip device 18 holds position by the cap at the end 22, while the upper slip device 16 lowers and locks the seal of the spread sealing member 14. When the ramming portion has compressed and locked the stack, the end 20 proximal to the setting tool on the positioning assembly is sheared, separating the bridge plug from the setting tool and the positioning assembly. FIG. 1B shows the prior art bridge plug system 10 in an activated and set state. Pressure on the lower cone assembly against the lower slip device 18 at the distal end of the mandrel causes the lower slip device 16 to open and latch against the wellbore. Continuing pressure by the ram expands the sealing member 14 against the rings to form a seal against the walls of the wellbore. Pressure on the upper cone assembly causes the upper slip device 18 to also open and latch against the wellbore, setting the seal of the sealing member.
A problem of the conventional bridge plug is the stabilization of the bridge plug during removal of multiple bridge plugs. A removal assembly, such as a drill string or other wireline device, has a drill element to drill through a millable bridge plug, the bridge plug must be able to resist rotation of the drill element itself. Otherwise, a partially milled bridge plug could become lodged on the tip of the drill element of the removal assembly. These remnants of the bridge plug would be rotating along with the drill element of the removal assembly, so that these last remnants could avoid being destroyed and possibly hinder further action of the drill element on bridge plugs further down the wellbore. The remnants of the partially milled bridge plug would be a poor drill bit for milling through subsequent bridge plugs down the wellbore.
Conventional materials of the millable bridge plug, like all downhole tools, must withstand the range of wellbore conditions, including high temperatures and/or high pressures. High temperatures are generally defined as downhole temperatures generally in the range of 200-450 degrees F.; and high pressures are generally defined as downhole pressures in the range of 7,500-15,000 psi. Other conditions include pH environments, generally ranging from less than 6.0 or more than 8.0. Conventional sealing elements have evolved to withstand these wellbore conditions so as to maintain effective seals and resist degradation.
Metallic components have the durability to withstand the wellbore conditions, including high temperatures and high pressures. However, these metallic components are difficult to remove. De-activating and retrieving the bridge plug to the surface is costly and complicated. Milling metallic components takes time, and there is a substantial risk of requiring multiple drilling elements due to the metallic components wearing or damaging a drilling element of a removal assembly.
Non-metallic components are substituted for metallic components as often as possible to avoid having so much metal to be milled for removal of the bridge plug. However, these non-metallic components still must effectively seal an annulus at high temperatures and high pressures. Composite materials are known to be used to make non-metallic components of the bridge plug. These composite materials combine constituent materials to form a composite material with physical properties of each composite material. For example, a polymer or epoxy can be reinforced by a continuous fiber such as glass, carbon, or aramid. The polymer is easily millable and withstands the wellbore conditions, while the fibers also withstand the wellbore conditions and resist degradation. Resin-coated glass is another known composite material with downhole tool applications. Composite materials have different constituent materials and different ways of combining constituent materials.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an embodiment of the millable bridge plug system with modular ends.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an embodiment of the millable bridge plug system with improved stack structures, including modular ends.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an embodiment of the millable bridge plug system with modular ends having locking connections.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an embodiment of the millable bridge plug system with a modular ends for locking connection to adjacent bridge plug systems.
These and other objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specifications and appended claims.